Saudi Coalition Blocks Four Oil Tankers From Entering Houthi Port

The Saudi Arabia-led coalition and the Yemeni government blocked four oil tankers from entering the Hudaidah port on the Red Sea, in a move that will likely worsen the health crisis occurring in the war-torn country. The Hudaidah port is currently controlled by the Houthi rebels, a Shiite militant group that is backed by Iran. The Saudi coalition is trying to contain the spread of Iranian influence in the region by fighting a proxy war for control of the Bab al Mandab strait, which controls oil traffic to the booming markets of sub-Saharan Africa. Yemen has reported over 400,000 cases of cholera in recent months. The disease is spread through polluted water, which require water pumps—which in turn require fuel to run. Oil is also required to power hospitals and other critical infrastructure. The tankers denied entrance to the port contained ten percent of Yemen’s monthly energy needs. Coalition […]